7x57 question?

Do you need to use a "long" action to wring the max out of a 7x57 useing 140 grain bullets? Thanks...

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dprice3844444

April 12, 2013, 07:46 PM

long http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/7%C3%9757mm_Mauser

ironworkerwill

April 12, 2013, 07:52 PM

Yea, it's too long for the average short action. Plus will not fit in the magazines of most sa guns. Otherwise you'll be seating too deep

tahoe2

April 12, 2013, 08:40 PM

long or intermediate (Yugoslavian Mauser) the perfect action for 7mm or 8mm x57 rounds IMO.

browningguy

April 12, 2013, 08:56 PM

The standard Mauser is fine, or the intermediate as already mentioned. I had mine built on a VZ24 action.

Gary O

April 12, 2013, 09:58 PM

When you folks mention those Mausers, are any of current manufacture by anyone? Thanks...

tahoe2

April 19, 2013, 09:10 AM

Zastava Arms, but I don't know who imports them.

Savage99

April 19, 2013, 11:40 AM

Perhaps the old 7X57 mauser is still a topic with us rifle aficionados because it has two sevens in it's name or some eccentric shot a animal in the head with it years ago.

The round is ok, like many others, but not best for anything. Can't find ammo anywhere for it. They have 30-06, 270, 30-30 etc but no 7-57's!

I have a rifle so chambered because I wanted a Brno 21H for my collection.

The rifle is neat, a butterknife bolt and all and so Euro.

The thing is that it's not my best rifle for the forests up North as my .358's easily beat it there nor is it anything but a medium range round for the open land here.

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3062/2585320626_a8b8fc6d9b_z.jpg?zz=1

denton

April 19, 2013, 11:12 PM

Can't find ammo anywhere for it.

You can buy ammo already put together? Why wasn't I told?? :)

...medium range round ...

I have to politely disagree with that notion. Loaded to modern pressures, the 7x57 and the 270 are practically ballistic twins, except that the 7x57 seems to do better with heavier bullets. My hunting load is 160/162 grain bullets at 2750 FPS, which could be extended to 2800 FPS. Dropping down to 150 grains, 2865 FPS is safely obtained. Nothing short range about that.

Well, if you want to run the 7x57 at pressures in the 50-52 KPSI range you will indeed get the advertised anemic performance.

Propellant gas can't read headstamps. All the gas "knows" is how much brass and steel there is between it and outside air. So it doesn't "know" whether it's in a 270 case and chamber or a 7x57 case and chamber, since the relevant dimensions are the same. You can shoot a 7x57 at 62 KPSI as safely as you can a 270.

Still, I run my 7x57 loads at more modest 30-06 pressures and below and get the MVs I have listed.

That 150 grain load I mentioned earlier runs 2865 FPS at a measured 56.6 KPSI, which is quite conservative. I haven't done testing on 140 grain loads, but those ought to be nipping at the heels of 3,000 FPS at that same modest pressure.

In a strong action, at modern pressures, it is an exceptionally nice round. If you class it as a medium range round, then you have to say the same for the 30-06 and 270, and I don't think you'll get a lot of agreement on that claim.

Boxhead

April 20, 2013, 03:40 AM

One of my 7x57's is built on a tweaked 96 Swede that is about perfect in length and diameter. The action, heaven forbid, has been lightened too.:what: I would not go the "short action" route.

If you look around hard enough you can find model 70 featherweights in the 7x57, Remington mtn rifles and of course there's the good ol ruger 77's, along with the CZ rifles .
So there are lots of options for a factory made rifle along with picking those same rifles up for a donor action for a custom barrel.
The grand ol cartridge doesn't need a lot of souping up to be useful. The long discontinued Hornady 154 gr custom factory round would blow a hole thru any and every elks shoulders it ever ran into at 200 yds or less, and my wife used it a to whack a nice little muley buck and a really nice 16+ in antelope both at distances rapidly closing in on 500 yds. Lots to be said for high sectional density moderate velocity rounds..

Dr T

April 29, 2013, 12:50 PM

Like many other cartridges, the 7x57 is not the best at anything. But neither is the 30-06, 223, 7-08, 6.5 Creedmoor, or anything else you can name.

However, that does not make it any less desirable. It is often the romance associated with the chambering--or the aesthetics of the rifle--or the fond memories of a loved one who had one and swore by it--that makes it worth having.

morcey2

April 29, 2013, 03:24 PM

As others have said, an intermediate (most Yugo's, lots of belgians, etc...) or standard length mauser action is necessary for a 7x57. For non-mauser receivers, a long action is needed. I really like my 7x57 and will probably have another one built in the near future, this one with a much shorter throat/leade. Even a heavy RN bullet won't reach the rifling until it's exited the neck of the cartridge. Lee FCD cleaned up my groups on that one significantly.

The 7x57 is a really good all around cartridge. It'll do everything from coyotes to mule deer easily. With proper bullet selection and shot placement, it'll take elk and moose out to 200 yards. Optimal for them? No, but definitely sufficient. It's a lot easier on my shoulder than either my 30-06 or 8x57. My daughter who's 5'4" can shoot it all day without complaining. At least not too much. :) Would a 7mm-08 do the same thing? Probably. I do like the longer neck on the 7x57 though.

Matt

ironworkerwill

April 29, 2013, 03:51 PM

He's got it on the scales ready to ship!

Onmilo

April 30, 2013, 09:03 AM

Funny thing.
When loaded with bullets in the 150-190 grain range, the 7mm & 8mm Mauser, the 7.62X54 Russian, the .303 British, and the .30/06 do everything pretty much EXACTLY the same at normal hunting and combat ranges of out to 400 meters and all require a fairly long actioned receiver.

If you want a short, trim, lightweight, short action rifle you would be better served with a 7mm/08 or .308 which will both do pretty much EXACTLY the same as the longer cartridges...

ironworkerwill

April 30, 2013, 10:36 AM

@ Onmilo Shhhhh! If you say that a 7mm-08 and a 7mmx57 are Exactly the same you'll start an argument about low pressure load data for old milsurp mausers. And, not to mention how vastly supiorior the 7x57 is over the under-powered 7-08. Cause it's a girls gun.

I agree with you 100 precent. In low powered factory loads the 7x57 falls slightly to the 7-08 however, in modern rifles with max pressure the 7x57 has a slight advantage. But it depends on who you ask. In summary I would use a longer action to gain max performance----- for both.

But why not a 7mag WM or SAUM or RUM?

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